Paternity rates among men who have not undergone varicocelectomy in childhood or adolescence

Introduction: Feasibility of prophylactic varicocelectomy in adolescents is under discussion, which determines the importance of studying the frequency of paternity among men who were actively monitored. Aim: to evaluate a paternity rate in a group of adult men who have not undergone varicocelectomy in childhood or adolescence. Materials and methods: The paternity rate was evaluated using a questionnaire-based survey carried out in 2018 among men who were actively monitored for unilateral varicocele with ipsilateral testicular hypotrophy during adolescence in 1999-2004. A total of 202 questionnaires were sent out checking whether the recipients were willing to have children. Median age at the time of the varicocele diagnosis was 15 years [Q1; Q3] (13-17). At the time of diagnosis, varicocele of grade III was found in 114 (93.4%) boys, and in 8 (6.6%) children, varicocele of grade II was seen. Results: A total of 142 respondents were enrolled. Median age of the participants was 31 (29; 34). 20 men were excluded from the survey, due to prophylactic varicocelectomy (n=8, 5.6%), other reproductive diseases (n=4, 2.8%), previous radiotherapy or chemotherapy (n=2, 1.4%) and reproductive pathologies in the spouses (n=6, 4.2%). 16 (13.1%) participants were not planning to have children. Among the remaining, 9 respondents (6.6%) had no children. Varicocelectomy was carried out in 17 (16.3%) patients due to infertility, and 14 (82.3%) subsequently became fathers. 83 (78.3%) patients had one or more children as a result of spontaneous pregnancy. Paternity frequency in the surveyed group was 91.5%. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate high paternity frequency among men with asymptomatic left-sided varicocele accompanied by ipsilateral testicular hypotrophy during childhood and adolescence who were actively monitored without surgical treatment.

teenagers, varicocele, varicocelectomy